The Federal Republic of Anaira
Anaira, also called The Kingdom of Un-Sky, is small, militarily weak, and completely unable to compete with the manufacturing power of the surrounding factions. Yet despite all this, it is a very powerful player in the Ikan system. Rather than serving as an economic or military powerhouse, the Kingdom of Un-Sky acts as the diplomatic glue that holds the system together and prevents conflicts from easily breaking out. Affiliated Races The Caelumnen Singular: Caelumnen Plural: Caelumnen Adjective: Caelumnen : Colloquial: Clown/Clowns (Slur), Anta/Antoq (Taushik), Arlika/Arlikil (Labokil), Nuehn (Srii), Nagaamo (Aülsayl) PLAYABLE RACE 'Base Stats:' : Strength: < 18 Intelligence: No modifier Wisdom: > 3 Dexterity: No modifier Constitution: < 14 : Charisma: > 3 Armor Class: 9 'Speed:' : Overland: 6km per hour : Combat: 20/40 meters 'Special Rules:' : Synesthesic: Caelumnen are synesthesic, meaning that they have extreme reactions to art and beauty. Many of the situations arising from this will be arbitrary, but it is worthy of note that a Caelumnen can avoid gaining trauma (through slain enemies) by singing or playing music while in combat. Passionate Craftspeople: ''Caelumnen may choose the faction specific skill Tech/Anairan as an option when choosing a tech skill. ''Easily Traumatized: Caelumnen suffer mental trauma far more easily than most races. While much of the time traumatizing events will be determined through context arbitrarily, there are rules regarding combat. For each foe killed by a Caelumnen player, they earn one point of trauma. If an ally is killed, they gain three. If a caelumnen player’s trauma value reaches or exceeds their wisdom attribute score, then they must make a savings throw against mental effects, using a wisdom modifier. If they fail, they will begin to go insane from trauma. Trauma can be dissipated by sessions of meditation, with one hour a day removing one point of trauma. Additional sessions require a mental affects savings throw, with a wisdom modifier. If failed, the player cannot bear to focus on their trauma any longer and must put it off until the next day. Quassa Quirique: ''If a Caelumnen player develops a strong enough attachment to another PC or NPC, they have the option of making them a mark. Marking someone does not require their consent or knowledge, and marking someone should be discussed with the GM, not the player. Caelumnen may have up to four marks at a time. If a Caelumnen perceives ones of their marks to be suffering extreme agony, or to drop to 0hp, they enter Quassa Quirique. Quassa Quirique lasts for either one day, or until it is resolved through either their mark being perceived to be safe, or the one perceived to be responsible for the mark’s suffering being killed (if the mark was perceived to drop to 0hp) or captured and tortured (if the mark was in agony). When in Quassa Quirique, the player receives a -2 modifier to all physical and mental effect saving throws, a +1 modifier to strength, dexterity, and constitution, and will have their trauma value drop to 0 for the duration. If the case is resolved (through death or torture respectively) the trauma value will stay at zero and additional trauma will be received as normal. If the case is left unresolved and they leave Quassa Quirique, they will jump back to their previous trauma value, +5. If they resolve the case after leaving Quassa Quirique, they will have their trauma value drop to zero, and receive additional trauma as normal. ''Dilexit: ''At the start of the game, a Caelumnen player should add one or two objects to their inventory (at no cost to them) as dilexit. If lost, the player receives one point of trauma. The player may, and should, collect more dilexit over the course of the game 'Appearance: Caelumnen are lithe, slender, six-limbed beings with scaly skin and cat-like tails. They hold themselves largely upright, resting on two digitigrade legs, but lean forward very slightly, with their lower pair of limbs slightly outstretched. These middle-limbs will occasionally be used to knuckle-walk if their owner is bearing a heavy load. Caelumnen heads are very slightly elongated, not quite into a snout, but more like a snake, giving them a very intense, curious appearance, and are capped with a small, bony frill. Caelumnen have very large eyes, and two nostrils not unlike a reptile’s. Human observers have mentioned that they find Caelumnen to appear extremely feminine, though only humans make such distinctions between male and female. Caelumnen skin/scale colour ranges from red to green, by way of blue. (EXTREMELY UNFINISHED) '''Synesthesia: One of the first things people tend to notice when interacting with the Caelumnen is what many describe as a kind of species-wide case of synesthesia. Caelumnen experience colors, sounds, and emotion in a more extreme way than other races, and can often be brought to tears by things as mundane as particularly stunning sunsets or an especially well told story. Specifically, Caelumnen are moved by what they refer to as Conatum Anivar, a concept that roughly translates to “The Trials of The Souls.” This is what we would refer to as “the human experience,” but there are a few overtones to the Caelumnen concept that separate it. Conatum Animar tends to focus less on day-to-day sacrifice, and more on extreme acts of devotion and love. As a result, Caelumnen find art to be almost narcotic. They find the consumption of art to be deeply moving and intoxicating, while its creation is cathartic and therapeutic. All Caelumnen have a very deep appreciation of art; to them, it’s as necessary as breathing. Art isn’t the only thing that inspires Caelumnen however. Beautiful occurrences in nature have a similar effect on them, though this manifests itself more in a love for snowflakes and seashells than landscapes and sweeping vistas. On multiple occasions, humans or srii have brought Caelumnen to beautiful places in their colonies or homeworlds with the intent of impressing them, only to find their companion more interested in a nearby beetle. It is worth noting that the Caelumnen homeworld of Caelum does not have many flowering plants, and most Caelumnen are not especially interested in them beyond pure curiosity. While they do not feel as moved by it as they do art, most Caelumnen tend to appreciate public displays of affection. One described the difference of intensity as PDA being akin to the sweetness of a fruit, while art acts as pure sugar; one beings a concentrated, refined form of the other. Unlike members of other races who would assume such appreciation to be sexual in nature, most Caelumnen describe it to be a warm, fuzzy, cozy feeling, although Caelumnen voyeurs do exist, and some overlap can occur. When first visiting other races, many Caelumnen were highly disturbed by the lack of PDA in alien settlements, and horrified to find that some cultures even consider it taboo. An aspect of this synesthesic element to Caelumnen psychology is a tendency to develop attachments and associations faster and more powerfully than other races. Caelumnen homes are chock full of all sorts of knick-knacks: toys, statues, squamae, (large scales from a Caelumnen’s spinal ridge, the equivalent of a lock of hair) shells, crystals, shiny pebbles, all are fair game. These are referred to as dilexit, and are often used as a method to recall previous emotions and experiences. While most dilexit are physical, it’s perfectly common to find Caelumnen who associate certain actions with memories and emotions. Like with most races, certain songs, dances, stories, smells, even times of day can illicit strong memories and emotions, though as always these are stronger in Caelumnen. Most dilexit are made from inside jokes, little presents, or bits of memorabilia picked up or given on a whim at the time. The significance of dilexit starts off as being equivalent to the significance of the event they’re linked to, and as such most odds and ends Caelumnen keep get trashed fairly quickly. But if they do survive, dilexit grow in power slowly, over time. Certain dilexit may be powerful enough to actually induce hallucinations. This is where the dark side to Caelumnen psychology begins to manifest itself. While all races have some cases of criminal insanity, only the Caelumnen consider it a public issue. If something goes wrong in a Caelumnen’s life, such as the loss of an important dilexit or suffering some form of abuse, they often require extreme amounts of therapy to overcome the trauma. If left untreated, many enter a positive feedback loop, where trauma informs cruelty, and the results of cruelty cause yet more trauma. A common cause of such cases is an unresolved case of Quassa Quirique, the death of a parent or close companion to an outside force left without some form of vengeance often leads one to spiral out of control and necessitates years of therapy. The most common symptom of such a fall towards insanity is the keeping of strange or disturbing dilexit, such as body-parts or refuse. In the most dangerous cases, cruelty and torture itself can become a dilexit, eliciting calming or euphoric responses. Economy and Politics Rather than capitalism or communism, Caelumnen use a guild system. Somewhat early in their lives, usually around fifteen, Caelumnen children decide what career they want to try going into. When they come to a decision, they find a master who provides food, shelter, and clothing in exchange for the child’s apprenticeship. The child is taught the trade, and slowly gains skill until they are granted the title of journeyman, and eventually master. Journeymen are able to start their own establishments, but only masters are permitted to take on apprentices. Criteria required to rise in rank varies widely, and is determined by the members of a particular local guild. As long as Caelumnen stay with a master, they are cared for, and provided their necessities. If a Caelumnen chooses to start their own establishment, they face all the risks and benefits faced by capitalist entrepreneurs, and are perfectly capable of success or failure depending on any number of factors. If a Caelumnen is unsatisfied with their master, they are permitted to leave at any time any either start their own establishment if they are a journeyman or master, or simply adopt a new master. Virtually all professions fall under the category of the guilds, and those that don’t often quickly apply for legal representation as a guild within the first few years of their creation. For the purposes of legal organization, applications are evaluated and assigned a particular “aspect,” depending on how the profession is performed. The three aspects are as follows: the aspect of hands for manual labor and craftsmanship, the aspect of tongues for diplomatic or performative professions, (artistic endeavors notwithstanding) and the aspect of crowns for scientific, mathematic, or other intellectual and academic professions. Each guild elects representatives from their masters to serve as “guild lords,” or “konlegidae” in Anairan. Konlegidae gather together in local councils to run the day-to-day living in most Caelumnen towns. On a national level, the FRA is ruled by a council of nine members. The council is officially named in the nigh-untranslatable Lingua Linguarum, but is most often simply referred to as “The Nine.” The Nine is comprised of three groups of three members each, called an avatar, dedicated to the three aspects. The members of the Nine each have equal say in national decisions, and the members of each avatar have equal say in decisions that affect their aspect exclusively. Members of the Nine are elected democratically, from the ranks of the konlegidae in the capitals of different colonies. Each member serves a life term, but can be ejected with a vote of no confidence among the capital konlegidae. In extreme cases, a similar vote can be opened to the public, known as a vote of no competence, which permanently bans the member from public office should it pass. While only the Nine have the power to declare war (bel-iuste), said wars do not involve Iktym Lakrimar, though they are permitted to send a specified number of knights to help, and are limited to border skirmishes, with forces raised from volunteers into local militias. War in the sense most are familiar with is known as Ardens Quirique. If extreme circumstances of injustice arise, the Nine can call a public vote to determine if the Kingdom of Un-Sky should enter Ardens Quirique. If the vote passes, than the Iktym Lakrimar is given free reign, though it must be supervised by the avatar of hands. Iktym Lakrimar Caelumnen make for exceedingly poor soldiers by any normal conventions. They are flighty, easily traumatized, and physically diminutive. Throughout most of their history, war was greatly avoided and other ways of settling disputes were utilized wherever possible. However, when faced with the threat posed by the significantly more violent races they encountered as they entered the local community, they quickly came to the conclusion that they would have to be prepared for what seemed to be eventual, inevitable conflict. The Anairan government funded the creation of Iktym Lakrimar, “the Foundation of Tears.” It was, and is, the only standing military organization in Caelumnen history. Rather than fill their ranks with volunteers or drafts, many of the Iktym are raised from infancy, taken from orphanages or found on the streets. Others enter voluntarily as penance for past crimes of sufficient severity. Others still are given to the Iktym by parents after birth. Life in the Iktym is hard, but not excessively so. Children are organized into dekana, groups of ten who are raised together as a very close knit family. At the head of each dekana is a dekanari, usually a knight, who acts partly as a parent, partly as an instructor, and partly as the military head of a dekana. The Iktym is by far and away one of the single most controversial aspects of Anairan society. Even within Anaira, it is viewed with mistrust and suspicion, and has become a popular target for conspiracy theories. The Iktym develops a great deal of technology in secret, such as Anairan anti-explosive fields and bel-nebul. The Iktym is often extremely brutal in warfare, killing civilians and non-combatants without discrimination, and capturing and torturing high-ranking prisoners of war. While much of this behavior is related to the Caelumnen concept of Ardens Quirique, even Caelumnen outside the Iktym have shown concern for their ferocity. Military Doctrine The Caelumnen understand only two kinds of combat: Bel-Iuste, which consists of local militia and small scale, local fighting, and Ardens Quirique, a national effort akin to a crusade. Bel-Iuste is associated with border conflicts and rag-tag militias, and is usually a response to small-scale skirmishes and unauthorized incursions on Anairan territory. Bel-Iuste is preceded by repeated warnings, and is only undertaken with a highly specific purpose in mind; drive out a pirate gang, reclaim stolen goods, defend against incursion, and so on. Caelumnen, who often only loosely understand the concept of a corporation, have repeatedly declared bel-iuste against them in their history, in response to incursion or unfulfilled promises. Only within the last century have the Caelumnen seemed to entirely grasp what they are, and the concept that they are not the sort of organization that one can declare war on. Bel-Iuste can only be declared by the Nine, but usually the declaration is in response to requests for help or permission to fight sent by local konlegidae. Once declared, bel-iuste are led by generals elected by konlegidae, from the ranks of local guild masters deemed appropriate. Usually, the Iktym Lakrimar is permitted to send a contingent of knights to assist in the training of militia and to advise the local generals. The local generals, who often have no formal military training, rely heavily on the guidance of knights, but are still the ones to determine important decisions, such as where and when to attack, and what should be sought after as the goal of the bel-iuste. Upon its completion, the local council of konlegidae will send a formal apology, often in the form of a song, and a metal seal with an account of the event written in Lingua Linguarum to the losing opponent. Generally, bel-iuste are not considered to be over until the goal has been achieved, and especially difficult bel-iuste are given permission to making increasing use of Iktym Lakrimar resources, even unto full use of everything the Iktym has to offer, though that has as of yet never happened. On the other side of the equation lies Ardens Quirique. Adens Quirique is closely linked to the psychological concept of Quassa Quirique, and is usually described as Quassa Quirique when applied to the public mind. Terrible injustice to great numbers of Anivae, (sentient beings) either through censorship, slavery, oppression, or genocide is usually the cause given for Ardens Quirique. As Caelumnen are more empathetic than other races, and their synesthesia intensifies their emotion to a degree, news of widespread atrocities leave in their wake a swathe of people grown taciturn and unhappy. Caelumnen outrage is quiet and resolute, and by the time the Nine call a vote for Ardens Quirique, a rare occurrence in and of itself, war is often an inevitability. Thus, a grim and determined public sets their hands to the tools of war. Unlike bel-iuste, Ardens Quirique comes without warning. The Iktym Lakrimar is always prepared for such a possibility, and usually only the bare minimum of preparations are necessary before they are ready to begin. The methods and strategies by which Ardens Quirique is waged vary widely, and each one is specially crafted, long before any atrocities are even committed to, by the highest echelons of the Iktym, who continually plot possible scenarios and the best way to handle them. After the first wave of attacks, a message written in Lingua Linguarum is sent to the leading parties of the opposing faction, often sung or performed in some matter, detailing demands. Failure to meet said demands allows the attacks to continue. After another wave, demands are sent again. This process repeats until the third request, which if refused will give the F.R.A. leave to attack until their goals are obtained. Leaders who refused to submit to their demands during the three requests are tried and investigated for their role in the atrocities which sparked the war. If found guilty, they are given over to a life of torture. If Ardens Quirique takes an exceedingly long time, and it becomes less and less likely that they will be able to obtain their goals, the Nine will call a public vote as to whether they should continue. If the public chooses to end the war, the Nine are required to step down from office, and are branded with a series of prayer-songs in Lingua Linguarum, detailing the war and its ultimate failure. The party to which they lost is not notified of any change, and diplomatic ties are cut until it is decided that their regime or policies have changed significantly enough to prevent further atrocities. The Obsidae Tactic While Caelumnen are no worse than anyone else when it comes to vehicle combat or artillery bombardment, infantry combat tends to be messy and consistently traumatizing for Caelumnen soldiers. To work around this, Iktym Lakrimar developed a solution. Caelumnen may make terribly poor infantrymen, but they do have at least one trick up their sleeve: Caelumnen are brilliant psychologists. The tactic developed by the Iktym was named Obsidae, and almost every major engagement the Caelumnen have been involved in since its creation has seen its use. The first step of Obsidae is to try and force the enemy into a defensive position. This is done in any number of ways, including intercepting and altering orders, using false displays of strength, and heavily bombarding the surrounding area. Once the enemy has taken up defensive positions, a Caelumnen force will begin pummeling the line with long-range bombardment. However, rather than simply attempting to wipe out the defenders in this way (a tactic which would force them out of their defensive positions, spelling disaster for the Caelumnen) they instead fire in short bursts, supplementing any explosives with a far higher number of shells designed to dispense “bel-nebul” or “War Mist.” Bel-Nebul is an interesting compound, largely harmless but extremely difficult to dissipate and able to block most sensors and communication arrays. Bel-Nebul also lacks a consistent makeup, but is constantly worked and reworked to have many different effects, and to resist attempts to counter it. Some versions accelerate oxidization, causing object to appear to tarnish and age in mere minutes. A great many contain subtle hallucinogens and narcotics. When the defensive positions have been suitably swamped with bel-nebul, the waiting game of a siege begins. Rather than raiding supplies, Caelumnen will send out Oracles in the night, agents designed to sow despair and paranoia amongst enemy ranks. Oracles appear through the mist of bel-nebul on the outskirts of the defenses, playing sad songs and examining the defenses and those manning them for weaknesses. Often times, Oracles will act remotely, using low-profile ROVs to produce surprisingly convincing holograms in the mist, ensuring safety for themselves. The most skilled Oracles will slip behind enemy lines, speaking to half-mad soldiers while they’re alone, sowing dissention and superstition. In particular, these agents will try to gain as much information about commanding officers as possible. Not just service history and skill, but also psychological profiles, nostalgias, and personal histories. With this information, teams of choreographers, tactical planners, and composers begin working together to plan out the final attack. When the Caelumnen force feels absolutely certain that their victory is assured, and made sure to plan out and rehearse the specially designed hymns and performances to perfection. Finally, the attack will commence, huge block formations of Caelumnen soldiers march slowly forward, protected by massive tower shields and anti-explosive field generators. Towering mechanical vehicles slowly and elegantly move with them, blaring deep and ominous calls. Independent kinghts ride forth, twisting and dancing through the hailstorm of weapons fire, while artillery pieces rain massive, sluggish projectiles from afar. All mixed up in this is a great chorus of song, either in Lingua Linguarum or in the language of their enemies, designed specifically to be the final straw, driving them to despair and confusion. Obviously, a great many things can go wrong with this plan, but its repeated effectiveness has proven Obsidae to be the absolute best option for Caelumnen infantry. Modified versions of this plan exist for use with boarding parties or in underground areas. Architecture and Design Caelumnen architecture tends to forces the eyes upward, relying on great spires and sharp points, supplemented with minarets and flying buttresses, giving a very gothic appearance. Their art often resembles Celtic or Nordic art, with highly stylized animal motifs that twist and turn in complicated knots. Any exhaust port, weapon barrel, or similar object almost universally sees an animal motif, an open mouth spewing fire, smoke, or what have you. Many Caelumnen factories work the tips of their smokestacks to the form of a Taushik male belching smoke, a character referred to as “Vorin the Smoker,” in imitation of a Taushikid practice. No one in either race seems to know where, when, or why this practice began. Category:Factions